Green Bay Packers: Who wore #88 the best?

With 88 days left until the start of the NFL season, our countdown to the big day, Sunday, Sept. 11, when the Green Bay Packers travel to Jacksonville to take on the upstart Jaguars will focus on the number that represents the days remaining … today it’s #88.

We highly recommend “Packers by the Numbers: Jersey Numbers and the Players Who Wore Them,” by John Maxymuk. The book, which chronicles every Packers jersey number was published in 2003 and provides a strong background of information about Packers players and their jersey numbers.

Yesterday, we focused on Hall of Famer Dave Robinson, who was, without question, the most popular and productive player to wear #89.

Today, we highlight the best Packers player ever to wear #88 – tight end Ron Kramer.

But what about fellow tight ends Bubba Franks and Jermichael Finley?

Both were very good players for the Packers, but played in different eras than did Kramer, who helped rewrite the job description for the position more than 50 years ago.

But like yesterday’s number, there were those failures who wore #88, such as Terry Mickens, Ron Jones, and Dick Capp.

On the flip side, there have been some players who have worn #88 who had pretty decent careers with the Packers.

Who can forget how Keith Jackson came to the Packers and with the help of fellow tight end Mark Chmura helped the Packers to two straight Super Bowls in 1996 and 1997?

See the list below for the players who have worn #88 over the past 50 years … most of these guys you may not remember – no, neither do I.

We’ll talk more about Ron Kramer on the next page …